Rotary engine.



F. A. BROOKS.

ROTARY ENGINE.

Mmm/111011 man 001.19. 1914.

1,226,745. m9111911 May 22,1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

561% fz! L5] F. A. BROOKS.

ROTARY ENGINE.

man c 1 APPLICA .1914. 1,226,745. Patented May 22, 1917.'

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i RRHH -UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEIoE.

FREDERICK A. BROOKS, 0F URBANA, ILLINOIS.

normar ENGINE.

Specication of Letters Patent. Patented May 1917..`

Application iiled October 19, 1914. Serial No. 867,821.

To all whom. it may concern.'

Beit known that I, FREDERICK A. BROOKS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Urbana, in the county of Champaign and State of Illinois, have invented certain'new and useful Improvements in Rotary Engines, of which the following is a specification.

.My invention relates to improved 'rotary constructions susceptible of employment'as engines or motors either of the internal combustion or steam type, and also capable of use as air compressors, clutches, brakes, wa,- ael; or other liquid motors, pumps, and the One of the objects of this invention is the production -of a simple structure of this 'general character which will be economical to manufacture and o erate and will be composed of few parts o simple design capable of easy assemblage.' In the improved embodiments of the invention all of the moving parts are supported in suitable bearings easily accessible for inspection and attention, and it is preferred to combine the rotor of the mechanism with coperating rotary valves, whereby in the strictest sense the construction is a true rotary machine.

When the invention is Yincorporated in an internal combustion or explosion rotary engine, the gaseous mixture is compressed by a lpart of the rotary member while ahead of the same and then by suitable mechanismis `transferred or shifted behind it and there ignited or exploded to produce the rotation desired. Another feature of the invention when embodied in a gas-engine is the transfer of the compressed gaseous mixture to the chamber from the side or sides of the controlling valves. These, with other features of novelty and improvement will become apparent to those skilled in the art from a consideration of the construction and operation of preferred embodiments of the invention as applied to rotary gas-engines, described below and illustrated in the accompanying drawings forming a part of this patent application. In these drawings like parts are, supplied with the same reference characters throughout.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a vertical section through a rotary/gas or internal combustion engine, incorporating therein certain features of this invention; y Fig. 2 is a horizontal section on line 2-2 of Fig. l, the parts'being viewed in the directron lndlcated by the arrows;1

Flg. 3 1s a vertical section through a modiiied form of engine construction with a dilerent means for igniting the charges, an l Fig. 4 is a section on line 4-4 of Fig. 3

with the rotor in a slightly different angular position:

Referring rst to Fig. 1, which illustrates a triple or three channel design of rotary engine of the internal combustion type, it

willbe observed that Athe construction has av stationary, substantially cylindrical casing 10 composed of two matching or registering parts 1l and 12, each with outstandingy Y' anges 13, 13, fastened together by securing screws or bolts 14, 14. At its opposite sides this divisible casing or shell is e uippedwith two bearings 15 and 16 in w ich is revolubly mounted a shaft 17 having keyed or otherwise fastened lthereto a hollow drum or rotor 18, snugly fitting the interior of the casing and supplied on its cylindrical periphery with three parallel annular grooves,

channels, or compartments 19, 20, and 21,

each of which is divided into a pair of chambers 22 and 23 by partition or division walls 24 and 25 shaped in cross-section somewhat like gear teeth and having their outer faces iush with the cylindrical surface of the drum or rotor. In the preferred embodiso that the rotary-valves hereinafter referred to may be mounted on the same shafts.

The'two half-shells-ll and 12 are shaped at 29 and 30 adjacent to the exhaust and i11- let ports so as to provide interiorly of the casing a smaller cylindrical cavity intersectirfg the main large cavity of the shell. This smaller recess or cavity accommodates three rotary valves 36, 31, and 37, mounted on a shaft 32 revoluble inthe divided bearings 33 and 34 forming parts of the casing.

As is shown in Fig. 1, ythe middle rotaryvalve 31, which for convenience of description may be characterized an inlet valve, is lrecessed or cutaway across lts face at 35 for the temporary 'accomodation individually` of the walls 24 and 25, the recess and either wall bein adapted in their rotary movements to lntermesh or interit, as is clearly illustrated. Valve 31 is of substantially the same width as its corres onding annular channel or compartment oi the rotor 18 and is adapted to extend to the bottom of such compartment acting as a rotary or movable partition or divislon Wall for the compartment. Each Wall 24 and 25 of the three compartments 19, 20, and 21, is displaced angularly 120o with reference to the corresponding walls of the three adjacent compartments so that the action of the engine will correspond to that of a three cylinder engine. The cavities or recesses of the three valves 36, 31, and 37, are also angularly dislrotary valves 44, 45, and 46 are keyed or pinned, each of such valves being of the same width as its corresponding compartment in the rotor and extending to the bottom thereof, as is shown, and each of these valves has a peripheral cavity or recess 47 adapted to accommodate the walls 24 and 25 as they pass by, the three cavities being1200 apart. At one end each of the shafts 41, 17 and 32, has fastened thereto the collars 48, 49, and 50 and the opposite end of the shaft 17 has fixed thereto the gear 51 which at its opposite sides meshes with the teeth of gears 52 and 53 mounted on shafts 32 and 41 respectively. In this way the rotation of the shaft 17 is transmittedto the two sets of rotary valves, inlet and compression, each set of valves making two revolutions to one revolution of the rotor or drum.

Operation: The operation of this appliance when employed as a gas or internal combustion engine is substantially as follows, and, since the operations of its three parts orsections are practically alike, a description vof the Afunctlons of the elements of one rotor channel section `will sul'lice.

When one of the walls, 25 fory example, in its rotation reaches the position of the valve 31, the recess 35 of the latter being so shaped and positioned as to receive the wall and move with it, the two' parts intermesh, as illustratedy in Fig. 1, and when thus mter-r fitted, form a substantially fluid-tight joint.

The rotation of the valve 31 is provided for the urpose of permitting the wall 25 to pass y, the two parts 25 and 31 both constituting partition or division walls, the movements of which would coniiict if provisions were not made fortheir intermeshing or passage by one another, as shown. When the wall 25 leaves the recess of the valve 31, the latter extends to the bottom of the groove 20, dividing it into two chambers and forming the rear wall of an increasing arcuate chamber of which the partition wall 25 forms an advancing front-wall.

After the wall 25, which in effect corresponds to the plunger or piston of a cylinder engine, passes the inlet 26, its continued forward movement causes a suction which draws in behind it a charge of mixed air and gas through the intake port. This continues until the part 25 enters' the recess of the rotary valve 45 and as thek division-Wall 25y passes beyond the valve 45, the latter by extending to the bottom of the groove closes the front endof this arcuate chamber. By this time, the wall 24 will be passing by and intermeshing with the valve 31, and as it advances beyond the intake port, it compresses the charge previously drawn in by the part 25, it being readily understood that the rotary travel of the rotor andthe wall 24 decreases the size of the/chamber, owin to the relatively stationary position o valve 45. l

It should be observed that whenever any portion of the cavity 47 of the valve 45 extends outwardly beyond the periphery of the rotor, it is in communication sidewise as axially of the valve with the compression chamber 40, which is in association with all three of the valves. This axial communication is shown with reference to valve 45 in Fig. 2. It will be apparent, therefore, that near the end of the compression movement of the part.24, the valve 45, in turning to receive it in its cavity, will establish communication between the rotor groove and the pressure chamber 40 so that the charge compressed by the wall 24 will be delivered into the chamber 40. The wall. 24 passes into and out of the recess 47 of the rotatingv valve and, as it is leaving such recess, as shown 1n Fig. 1, the valve establishes communlcation between'the chamber 40 and the portion of the rot'or channel chamber at the its connection with chamber 40 and vwhen the wall has passed the ignition device or spark plug 28 the latter ignites the charge, exploding the same in the lusual manner, the mixture expanding in the customary way and acting on the rear face of the wall 24:, causing the rotor to be revolved, the rear wall of the explosion compartment being formed by therelatively-stationary valve 45. .The travel of the wall 24, as will be readily understood, acts to discharge ahead of it through the exhaust-port 27 the exploded gases which had previously acted against the wall 25. In this way, each of the two walls r2a and 25 acts to suck in the charge for the other and to expel the exploded gases of the other, but each wall has exploded behind it the charge which it had previously compressed ahead of it, andv which was transferredback of or around it by the valve 4:5. This action applies particularly to an engine with entirely independent grooves or channels, but is somewhat modified when a single compression chamber is associated with a plurality of such channels.

Although the compression and explosionexpansion movements' of the rotor are not equal, thevalves 31 and 35 not being diametrically opposite one another, it may be stated, however, in a general way, that the charge is drawn inI by one division wall during one-half revolution of the rotor, is compressed by the second wall during the next half revolution, is exploded and expanded behind the second wall during the succeeding half revolution, and is expelled by the lirst wall during the next half revolution period of the rotor. But neither of these walls is ever idle, and if they are thought of as corresponding tothe pistons of a reciprocating engine, this rotary engine may be considered as double-acting, with compression in front of each wall and explosion and expansion behind it. Stated differently, when one wall is compressing a charge ahead of it and drawing in 'a new charge behind it, the other wall is having its charge behind it exploded"4 and expanded while the preceding exhausted charge ahead of it is being expelled through the discharge port. In other words, suction, compression, expansion, and expulsion are al1 occurring at substantially the same time. Thus, two cycles are started per revolution as distinguished from one cycle per other revolution of ythe i'our-stroke cycle, singleacting, reciprocating gas-engine.

In the device illustrated, a plurality' of angular compartments or channels corresponding to a plurality of cylinders in a reciprocating engine are shown, the occurrences taking place in the various 'compartments being a ike, except that they are offset with 'respect to the time otheir happening, sor as to produce in the rotor a more uniform torque. A,The number of rotor channels and the number of chambers into which they may be divided is, of course, capable of a wide range, without departure from the invention. By employing a commoncompression chamber into which all of the compressed eharges are temporarily stored, the pressure therein may be maintained more uniform than would be possible if each annular compartment had its own individual compression chamber.

It shouldV be observed furthermore, that in a construction of this,l kind the vintake chamber and the explosion-expansion chamber need not necessarily be of the same volume, as is substantially inherently necessary in the usual reciprocating gas-engine. i Consequently, in this structure it is desirable to make the explosion and expansion chamber somewhat larger than the intake chamber to secure a higher degree of eliciency by obtaining a greater degree of expansion of the gases. f

In Figs. 3 and 4 a somewhat modified construction is illustrated, which differs fromthe embodiments shown in Figs. l and 2 only in that the number of rotorcompartments shown is two instead of three, and, also, in the ignition appliance which does away with the spark plug, except for the preliminary starting of the engine. Inasmuch as the construction of many of the parts is the same as set forth above, they are given the same reference characters. In this instance, however, the heated exploded gases from the one compartment are .employed to fire the charge in the companion compartment and the gases inthe latter in turn ignite the charge in the first compartment, and so on.

In this case, the upper half `of the casing 60 is enlarged at 6l, at which point it is provided with a small transverse lignition chamber 62 having a central passage 63 and two side passages 64 and 65 opening into the interior of the casing. Opposite each of the annular rotor compartments the inner face of the casing is equipped with four assages 66, 67, 68, and 69, each extending rom a point opposite the corresponding rotor compartment to a point at one side of the compartment. The rotor or internal drum, which in this instance isequipped with two grooves and 71, is cored out at 72 and 73 so that the cavities will register with the ends of the ports or openings 65 and 69 and 63 and 68 respectively, whereby, when the compressed mixture in the groove 70 is ready to be red or ignited these cavities 72 and 7 3. will vcome into register with the passages 65, 69, 63, and 68, putting the groove 70 into communication W1th the chamber 62 from both sides so that the hot gases in the chamber may explode the compressed mixture in 13o the groove and at the same time trap a portion of such hot exploded gases.

The rotor also has similar cavities or recesses 7 4, 75, just to the rear of the divisionwall 25, which, at the proper time, will register with the openings 63, 67, 64, and 66,

lestablishing communication between the hot gases thereto for the firing of the mixture or charge in the companion groove. Otherwise, the construction, being like that described above, requires no further elucidation.

be incorporated in these embodiments of this invention without departure from the heart and essence of the latter and'without the sacrifice of any of its substantial benefits and advantages, and for that reason, these incorporations of the invention should be taken only as a 'few of several waysof embodying the invention in practical form.

It will be apparent that inmany instances the construction and functions of thevarious parts of the mechanism may be reversed without modification of the principle of operation.

I have defined the scope of the invention by the appended claims and have, therefore,

refrained from setting forth various other embodiments of the invention, since the principal feature of the same can be readily understood from the two structures herein detailed.

I claim:

4 1. In a rotary engine construction of the character described, with suitable intake, exhaust, and ignition, the combination of a casing provided with a compression chamber, a rotor revoluble in said casing and having an annular compartment facing the casing, a partition wall on said rotor dividing the compartment into chambers, a valve in said casing coperating with the rotor compartment to cause the compression of the gas charge ahead of said compression wall,

l deliver it axially of the valve into the compression chamber, and transfer a charge axially of the valve from said compression chamber to the rear of the partition wall for Q ignition and explosion, substantially as described.

2. In a rotary engine construction of the character described, with suitable intake, exhaust, and ignition, the combination of a casing provided with a compression chamber, a rotor revoluble in said casing and havingl a compartment facing the casing and a partition wall dividing the compartment To those skilled in this art, it will be ap parent that many mechanical changes may into chambers, a recessed rotary valve in said casing projecting into the compartment and dividing the same into chambers and adapted to establish and break sidewise co1n-.4

munication between the compartment and said compression chamber and adapted by the entering of the partition wall into its recess to permit the passage' of said wall past the valve, and means to rotate said vvalve whereby to cause the compression of a gas charge ahead of said partition-wall, deliver such charge axially of-the valve into the compression chamber, and discharge a charge axially of the valve from said compression chamber to therear of saidpartition wall for ignition and explosion, substantially as described.

3. In a rotary engine construction of the character described, the combination of a casmg provided with suitable intake-port, exhaust-port, ignition and a compression chamber, a rotor revoluble in said casing land having a compartmenty facingA said casing divided by partition walls into chambers,va valve in said casing between the intake and exhaust ports and pro- Jectlng into said compartment, dividing 1t into chambers, a second valve in said caslng projecting into said compartment kand dividing it into chambers, and adapted to establish and break communication axially of the valve between-said rotor compartment `and compression chamber, and

means to operate said valves to permit the passage of the partition walls past the same, whereby a charge of gas is drawn in behind one of said walls, is compressed between another of said walls and said second valve, 'l

is delivered by said second valve axially of the valve into the compression chamber, and

second valve axially thereof to the rear of said wall for' ignition and explosion, substantially as described.

4; In a rotary engine construction of the character described, the combination of a casing provided with suitable intake-port, exhaust-port, ignition, and a compression chamber, a rotor revoluble in said casing and havinga compartment facing said casing divided by partition-walls into chambers, a recessed rotary valve in said casin between the intake and exhaust ports an projecting into said compartment dividing it into chambers, a second recessed rotary valve in said casing projecting into said compartment and dividing it into chambers, and lconstructed to establish and break communication axially of the valve between said rotor ,compartment and compression chamber, the recesses of said valves'being adapted to temporarily accommodate saidk partition `.walls and permit their passage past the valves, and means to revolve' said valves, whereby a charge of gas is drawn 105 a charge from the latter is delivered by saidin behind one o fsaid walls, is compressed between another of sai'd walls and said second valve, is delivered by said second valve axially thereof into the compression chamber, and a charge from the latter is delivered by said second valve axially thereof to the rear of said vwall for ignition and explosion, substantially as described.

, 5. In a rotary engine' construction of the character described, the combination of a casing provided with suitable intake-ports,

exhaust-ports, ignition, and a compression chamber, a rotor revoluble 1n said casmg and `break communication between the corresponding rotor compartment and said compression chamber, the recesses of said valves being adapted to temporarily accommodate said partition walls and permit their passage past the valves, and means to rotate said valves, whereby a charge of gas is drawn in behind one of the partition walls of each compartment, is compressed between another of the partition walls of said compartment and the corresponding second valve, is delivered by said second valve axially thereof into the compression chamber and a charge from the latter'is delivered by said second valve to the compartment rearwardly of said wall for ignition and explosion, substantially as described.

6. In a rotary engine construction of the character described, the combination of a casing provided with suitable intake-ports, exhaust-ports, ignition, and a common compression chamber, a rotor revoluble in said casing and having a plurality of compartments facing the casing divided by partition walls into chambers, the partitions of the various compartments being angularly oifset, a recessed rotary valve in said casing for each of said compartments between the corresponding intake and exhaust ports and projecting into the compartment dividing it into. chambers, a second recessed rotary valve in said casing for each of said compartments projecting into its compartment and dividing it into chambers and adapted to establish and break communication between said'rotor compartment and said common compression chamber, the recesses of said valves being adapted to temporarily accommodate. saidbpartition walls and permit their passage past the valves, and means to revolve said valves, all of said first-mentioned valves being on a single shaft and all of said second valves being on a single shaft, the recesses of said valves being angularly ports vidin odset to correspond to the angular disposit tion of said partition walls, substantia described. l

7. In a rotary construction of the character described, the combination of a chambered casing, a rotor revoluble in said casing and having a compartment, a valve in said casing projecting into said rotor compartment and constructed to establish and break communication between said chamber and compartment axially of the valve, and means to operate said valve, substantially as described. g

8. In a rotary construction of the character described, the combination of a chamyas ' bered casing, a rotor revoluble in said casing having an annular compartment, a recessed rotary valve in said casing projecting into said compartment and adapted to establish and break communication between said compartment and casing chamber axially of the valve, and means to operate said valve, substantially as described.

9. In a rotary engine of the character described, tle combination of a casing provided with suitable intake-ports, exhaustignition, and a common compression chamber, a rotor revoluble in said casing and having a plurality of compartments facing said casing, each of said compartments being divided by a `partition wall into chambers, and a ,valve in said casing for and projecting into each of said compartments diit into chambers and constructed to establlsh and break communication between said compartment and common compression chamber, said valves and partition walls being constructed to permit their passage past one another, substantially as described.

10. In a rotary-engine construction of the character described, the combination of a cas ing provided with suitable intake-ports, exhaust-ports, ignition, and a common compression chamber, a rotor revoluble in said casing and having a plurality of compartments facing said casing, each divided by a partition wall into chambers, a recessed rotary valve in said casing for anddprojecting into each of said compartments ividing it into chambers,said valves being constructed to establish and break communication between said rotor compartments and the common compression chamber, the recesses of said valves bein adapted to temporarily accommodate saidgpartition walls and permit their passage past the valves, and means to revolve said valves, substantially as de scribed.

11. In a rotary engine construction of the character described, the combination of a casing provided with suitable intake-ports, exhaust-ports, ignition, and a common compression chamber, a rotor revoluble in said casing having a plurality of annular compartments facing said casing, each of said compartments being divided by one or more partition walls into chambers, a valve in said casing between the intake and exhaust ports'for each of said compartments, each of said valves projecting into the corresponding compartment and dividing it into chambers, a second valvein said casing for and' projecting -into each of said compartments dividing it into chambers and constructed tto'festablish andbreak communication between the compartments and common compression chamber, said valves being con-` structed to permit the passage of the partition walls past them, and means to operate said valves, substantially as described.

12. In a rotary construction of the character described, the combination of a chama recessed rotary valve in said casing for and projecting into each of said compartments and adapted to establish and break communication between said compartments and said casing chamber axially of the valves, and means to operate said valvessubst an tially as described.

In testimony whereof .Y I have hereunto signed my name'in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

FREDERICKA.' BRooKs.

Witnesses:

MINNIE JAQUns, J. W. I-IUss. 

